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A genizah is storage for holy items that are no longer usable, such as torn parchments or other ritual objects that are worn out beyond use.
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Honoring the Sacred Scroll
HALAKHAH
The practice of burying a worn-out Torah scroll with a Torah scholar underscores the deep reverence for sacred texts in Judaism. The 16th-century Shulchan Arukh, a key codification of Jewish law, details this respectful disposal method, emphasizing the sanctity of the Torah scroll.
The Sacred Garments of Yom Kippur
COMMENTARY
The linen garments worn by the High Priest on Yom Kippur are so sacred that they must be set aside and never used again. Rashi, the renowned 11th-century biblical commentator, explains this requirement in his commentary on Leviticus.
The Sanctity of Torah Scroll Cases
TALMUD
Even items made to protect Torah scrolls, such as cases and sacks, are considered sacred and must be interred when no longer in use. The Talmud in Tractate Megillah discusses the sanctity of objects associated with Torah scrolls and their proper treatment.
Rescuing Sacred Writings on Shabbat
MISHNAH
The Mishnah emphasizes the sanctity of sacred texts, even to the extent of permitting their rescue from a fire on Shabbat. This early third-century legal text outlines the conditions under which sacred writings can be saved from a fire on Shabbat, regardless of the language they are written in.
Solomon Schechter studying the fragments of the Cairo Genizah, c. 1898.
Solomon Schechter studying the fragments of the Cairo Genizah, c. 1898.
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